Loading...
> >

General Question About Maps

MJ007MJ007 Posts: 1,704
edited December 1969 in The Commons

Can someone please explain to me how a model knows how the textures break down on the model?

I know some creators offer texture templates, but what if they dont and you want to create transparency maps for it?

Please advise.


-MJ

Comments

  • FSMCDesignsFSMCDesigns Posts: 12,781
    edited December 1969

    It's called UVmapping, basically assigning what textures or what parts of textures cover what areas of the model
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UV_mapping

    There are plenty of programs that will let you create new mapping, try UVmapper or Ultimate Unwrap 3d

  • FlipmodeFlipmode Posts: 909
    edited December 2014

    One way or the other every model has a UV-map which defines how textures are applied.

    If you can`t find templates but need the UV-map you can export the model (e.g. as .obj), load it into a modeling program and extract the UV-map from there. There are some free programs like Blender, I am optimistic it can do that. Maybe someone can point you to a smaller tool though.

    For transparency maps you can also try and go by the diffuse texture, of course that can be a bit frustrating if there are not enough "landmarks" on it to find the correct position.

    Edit: UV-mapper, good tip from FSMCDesigns indeed, better grab something like that than a monster like Blender ;)

    Post edited by Flipmode on
  • MJ007MJ007 Posts: 1,704
    edited December 1969

    Maybe I should be a little more clear.

    I know what UV Mapping is, however, where specifically does a model's UV Mapping reside? Is it internal to the .obj itself? I thought I would be able to find it under the surface settings, but i found nothing there either.

    -MJ

  • MJ007MJ007 Posts: 1,704
    edited December 2014

    Flipmode said:
    If you can`t find templates but need the UV-map you can export the model (e.g. as .obj), load it into a modeling program and extract the UV-map from there.
    Ah... so then the UV Map *IS* internal to the .obj itself?

    Flipmode said:
    For transparency maps you can also try and go by the diffuse texture, of course that can be a bit frustrating if there are not enough "landmarks" on it to find the correct position.

    Yes, for this one particular model Im looking at, going by the Diffuse texture map is almost impossible. No definite "landmarks" in the texture at all.

    Edit: UV-mapper, good tip from FSMCDesigns indeed, better grab something like that than a monster like Blender ;)
    I know I can make NEW maps with UV Mapper, but i need the existing map. Can UV Mapper extract the existing map as you recommended I do with a modeler?


    -MJ

    Post edited by MJ007 on
  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 102,765
    edited December 1969

    Yes, if you open the OBJ fiel you will see a number of vt lines which are, as I recall, the texture coordinates.

  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 102,765
    edited December 1969

    MJ007 said:
    Flipmode said:
    Edit: UV-mapper, good tip from FSMCDesigns indeed, better grab something like that than a monster like Blender ;)

    I know I can make NEW maps with UV Mapper, but i need the existing map. Can UV Mapper extract the existing map as you recommended I do with a modeler?


    -MJ

    Yes, just load the model into UV Mapper and save a template without doing any editing.

  • MJ007MJ007 Posts: 1,704
    edited December 1969

    Richard Haseltine said:
    Yes, just load the model into UV Mapper and save a template without doing any editing.

    Awesome! Thanks!

    -MJ

  • MJ007MJ007 Posts: 1,704
    edited December 1969

    Another thing, within UV Mapper, will I be able to tell what coordinates on the map represent where it goes on the figure?

    -MJ

  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 102,765
    edited December 1969

    I'm not sure what you mean - you will see the template, the workplane runs from (0,0) at lower left to (1,1) at upper right.

  • MJ007MJ007 Posts: 1,704
    edited December 1969

    Richard Haseltine said:
    I'm not sure what you mean - you will see the template, the workplane runs from (0,0) at lower left to (1,1) at upper right.

    You know how sometimes when you're looking at the template, unless the shape is obvious, its not very apparent what coordinates of the template translate to placement on the actual model itself.

    For example, lets just use the example of the attached image.

    Its kinda obvious which is the "front" and which is the "back", but lets assume it wasnt so obvious and I wanted to texture something on the front only. Just by looking at the template, how would I know which is the front and which one was the back?

    -MJ

    avatar_upper_body.png
    1024 x 1024 - 76K
  • FlipmodeFlipmode Posts: 909
    edited December 1969

    MJ007 said:
    Just by looking at the template, how would I know which is the front and which one was the back?

    I think going only by the template you can`t know. In such cases I sometimes start by quickly painting colored dots on the diffuse map and use that as overay for the template in a 2D tool, to get a basic overview.
    If you load a model into a modeling tool you can usually select polys and see the selection on the UV-map.
  • MJ007MJ007 Posts: 1,704
    edited December 1969

    My virus software doesnt like UV Mapper for some reason. Keeps preventing it from running.

    -MJ

  • ChoholeChohole Posts: 33,604
    edited December 1969

    MJ007 said:
    My virus software doesnt like UV Mapper for some reason. Keeps preventing it from running.

    -MJ

    Try UV viewer, see if that helps http://d3d.sesseler.de/index.php?software=other&product=uv_viewer

  • MJ007MJ007 Posts: 1,704
    edited December 2014

    I think ive discovered another problem. There is no .obj, only a .pp2.
    All these programs want a .obj. What do i do now?

    -MJ

    Post edited by MJ007 on
  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 102,765
    edited December 1969

    You could export as OBJ. It is possible to extract the OBJ from the pp2, which actually uses the same data format for the embedded geometry.

  • MJ007MJ007 Posts: 1,704
    edited December 2014

    Richard Haseltine said:
    You could export as OBJ. It is possible to extract the OBJ from the pp2, which actually uses the same data format for the embedded geometry.

    What can I use to import it into to export it as an OBJ?


    *** EDIT ***
    Duh... nevermind. Got it!


    -MJ

    Post edited by MJ007 on
  • MJ007MJ007 Posts: 1,704
    edited December 2014

    Ok, I am experiencing something really weird.

    After much trial and error, I finally identified the area to place the transmap to remove certain geometry from the scene. However, whenever I apply the map, other portions of the model disappear with it.

    Weird thing is, i attempted to apply a completely white transmap (assuming it should basically do nothing), but this same area disappears.

    Can anyone explain to me what's going on here?


    -MJ

    Post edited by MJ007 on
  • FlipmodeFlipmode Posts: 909
    edited December 1969

    You are on a mission today with this UV /transparency thing ;)

    It`s weird since you use a white image, if that wasn`t the case my guess would have been that the model uses a tiling map (repeating the texture, often used with architectural stuff)

  • MJ007MJ007 Posts: 1,704
    edited December 1969

    This is really bugging me as now I am completely stuck with no idea what to do.
    Ive been working on this thing for hours.

    -MJ

  • MJ007MJ007 Posts: 1,704
    edited December 1969

    After playing with this a bit more, it appears for some reason, it is turning the entire zone translucent when I apply a map to it. And changing the degree of colors of the map, changes the level of transparency. This is really odd.

    -MJ

  • throttlekittythrottlekitty Posts: 173
    edited December 1969

    If you're talking about geometry becoming invisible in the viewport, even with pure white values in the opacity map- This is most likely normal; do a test render.

    Viewports and realtime games use a simpler technique for drawing surfaces based on vertex order of the model. If a model has multiple layers/sections, some areas may "show through" even if they physically shouldn't.

  • MJ007MJ007 Posts: 1,704
    edited December 1969

    WOOHOO!!!!! It was just a Viewport Issue!
    Although the geometry turns transparent in the Viewport, it renders perfectly fine!

    AWESOME!!!!!! I AM SOOOOOOOOOO HAPPY!!!!!

    Thanks Everyone!!!

    -MJ

  • TaozTaoz Posts: 9,979
    edited December 1969

    MJ007 said:
    WOOHOO!!!!! It was just a Viewport Issue!

    You often see this with hairs - some parts seem transparent in the viewport but they render fine.

Sign In or Register to comment.